Drinking-cup holder



W. E. SWIFT.

DRINKING CUP HOLDER. APPLlCATlON mm sew-1a. 191s.

1,41 1,388. Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

R-uenf UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

WILLARD E. SWIFT, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED STATES ENVELOP E COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACI'IUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE. i

DRINKING-CUP HOLDER.

To all whom it may cmwmvi:

Be it known that I, W ILLARD E. SXVLFT, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vorcester, in the county of Vorcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Drinking-Cup Holder, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to a holder for drinking cups provided with means for attachment to a water container and is particularly adapted for use with an inverted bottle, such-as is in common use with an ice reservoir, from which the cooled water is withdrawn for drinking purposes. My invention, however, is adapted to be applied to any cylindrical water container, and supports a carton containing drinking cups from. which they are withdrawn through a slit or opening at the lower end of the carton.

The objects of my invention are to provide a holder for drinking cups adapted to be applied to cylindrical water containers of different sizes and to support a stack of drinking cups in a position to facilitate the withdrawal of the lowermost cup from the stack. These objects, among others, are attained by the construction of a drinking cup holder illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 represents in perspective view a drinking cup holder embodying my present invention and represented as applied to an inverted bottle or water container of the type now in common use in ofiice buildings and public places.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation detached from the inverted bottle or water container, but without supporting legs 24.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the elastic wire clamping mechanism detached. from the inverted bottle or water container and having the sheet metal support for a carton removed.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in the different figures.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 represents an inverted bottle or water container represented as mounted upon. an ice container 2. 3 denotes a cardboard carton containing a stack of drinking cups and provided with a slit or opening at its lower end through which the lowermost drinking cup in the stack may be withdrawn; The carton Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 18, 1919." Serial No. 324,407.

3 containing the stack of drinking cups is of the usual and well known construction which will be well understood by those c0nversant with drinking cup cartons now in common use. In F 1, 4: represents a drinking cup as partially withdrawn from the carton. The carton 3 is held between the elastic sides 5, 6 of a sheet metal carton sup port 7, provided on its rear side with hooks 8 and 9 which engage an elastic wire structure, a detached plan View of which is represented in Fig. 3, adapted to engage a water container, in the present instance represented by the inverted bottle 1.

The wire structure, represented in plan view in Fig. 3, comprises a pair of curved elastic members, namely anupper member 1O, 11 and a lower member-12, 13, the same embracing more than 180, so that the distance between their free ends is less than the diameter of the water container 1, to which aid members are applied, shown in Fig. 1. The corresponding free ends of said members are connected by .wires 14 and 15, the former connecting the portions 10 and 12 and the latter connecting the portions 11 and 13. 1 Between the opposite portions 10 and '11 of the upper curved member I provide a straight section 16 which is separated from the portions 10 and 11 by the bent sections 17 and 18 for the purpose of spacing the straight section 16 from the periphery of the bottle in order to insert the hooks 8, as represented in Fig. 1. Midway between the portions 12 and 13 of the lower curved member I provide a straight section 19 connected with the portions 12 and 13 by the bent sections 20, 21. The straight section 19 is spaced from the periphery of the bottle 1 by a greater space than the straight section 16, thereby permitting the engagement of the hook 9 and holding the carton support 7 at an oblique angle to the perpendicular wall of the bottle in order to facilitate the withdrawal of drinking cups from the carton. Immediately behind the bent sections 17, 18, 20 and 21, I unite the portions 10 and 12 by wires 22, and I unite the portions 11 and 13 by the wires 23.

In order to apply the wire structure represented in Fig. 3, to a cylindrical water container such as that shown in Fig. 1, the free ends of the members 10, 11 and 12, 13 are separated to enable the same to be placed over the end of the water container upon lowermostmember 12, 13. The legs 24 are preferably turned upwardly at the bottom,

as shown at 25, forming feet to rest upon the top of the ice container 2, or other rigid support.

desired, the legs 24 may be omitted, as shown in Fig. 2, allowing the lowermost elastic member 12, 13 to rest directly upon the top of a rigid support. When so constructed by the omission of the legs 24, the inclination of the carton support 7 may be made sufiicient to enable its lower end to clear the top of the support.

I claim,

1. In a drinking cupholder of the class described, a structure for holding a carton support, comprising a pair of curved elastic members, each adapted to partially embrace a cylindrical water container and be held in position thereon by frictional contact, and each having a straight section spaced from the cylindrical water container for the attachment of a carton support.

2. In a drinking cup holder of the class described, the combination with a pair of curved elastic members adapted to embrace acylindrical water container, said members having, straight sections in vertical alinement with each other for the attachment of a carton support, of a sheet metal carton support engaging said straight sections, and wires uniting the curved elastic members on opposite sides of said straight sections.

3. In a drinking cup holder of the class described, the combination in a single structure of a pair of curved elastic members adapted to fit a cylindrical water container, and provided with intermediate straight sections in horizontal planes and in vertlcal alinement with each other adapted for the engagement of a carton support, wires uniting said curved members "at each side of their straight sections, and wires uniting the free ends of said curved members.

4. In a drinking cup holder, a pair of curved elastic members adapted to embrace the opposite sides of a water bottle or container and exert a pressure thereon, with the free ends of each pairof members connected, said arms having straight sections for the attachment of a support for a carton, with the lower straight section spaced further from the container than the upper straight section; r

5. In a drinking cup holder for a cylindrical water container mounted 'upon an ice container, a pair of open curved elastic members inclosing the water container, each having straight sections midway their length for the attachment of a carton support, means unitin said curved members at their free ends an upon opposite sides of their straight sections, and legs extending from the lower of said curved members and testin upon the ice container. 7

Executed this fifth day of September,

WILLARD E. SWIFT. Witnesses:

NELLIE WHALEN, PENELOPE COMBERBACH. 

